Water {Elements of Power 2}

Chapter 21: Roxy

As the days passed, I found myself getting caught up in the election spirit. There was an energy in the capital, a fast building frenzy, and it was infectious. I attended more events with Tristan, as he walked around the capital, meeting Sephans and canvassing for votes. He oozed charisma and addressed everyone in a personal, empathetic way, as though he were running for them and them alone. I watched him promise larger growing spaces, more sources of water in the west of the island and better communication links with the north. Two farmers approached him separately, each claiming the right to the other's land. He promised to help them both. Had a Sephan asked him if he would make it rain more if they voted for him, he probably would have told them he would see what he could do.

All the while I stood back, watched, and bit my tongue on more than one occasion in a desperate bid to prevent myself from laughing. Sephans were naive and all too easy to please. My grandfather should never have tried to Control their leaders; all he needed to do was sail over here, run for President, and promise to solve all of their problems with his Realm's fire. Then again, my grandfather would never spend time talking to ordinary Helians, let alone Sephan villagers.

Tristan also used his powers to his advantage. With a touch of his fingertips, he made flowers, crops and plants grow wherever he went. Roses bloomed in his palms for any pretty girl who walked past, making them giggle and blush before promising to vote for him.

He communicated with errant animals too. We went down into the central clearing one morning to find a crowd gathering around a young boy, who was shouting at a creature with short, stubby legs and a fluffy white coat. It looked like a walking cloud and I couldn't help but laugh as we approached. Tristan shot me a confused look, probably assuming that I was laughing at the boy's distress, before he crouched down beside the child, whose cheeks had grown red and his eyes puffy.

"What's wrong?" Tristan asked softly.

"She won't come with me! She's been in a mood all morning and won't do anything that I tell her to. I'm going to be late getting home. I can't leave her here..." The boy rubbed his eyes; he was trying hard not to cry.

Tristan got back to his feet, surveying the creature thoughtfully. He then placed a hand on its back, stroking it firmly and murmuring something under his breath, too quietly for me to make out. The animal inclined its head in Tristan's direction, making a low sound in response. Tristan grinned and tapped it fondly on the back.

"Your aries is pregnant. She can't keep up with the pace you're moving at. You need to take it slow, with plenty of stops so she can rest. I've promised her some extra feed when she gets home if she can keep the pace up enough to get you back in time for lunch."

Smiling happily, the little Sephan went on his way and the crowd dispersed, chattering about how kind Tristan Terra was.

The Sephans loved Tristan and it was easy to see why. But I couldn't shake the feeling that he was only acting this way for votes. What was the real Tristan like? What would he really do for these people? Fixing these mundane, little problems would easily take up the duration of his post,but I got the feeling that Tristan had far bigger plans for himself than that. He would never be content to stay in the quiet, backwards, Sephan Realm. He wanted to play on a world stage. Perhaps this was why the Realm had two leaders: one for all the dull, but necessary, home affairs and another to look at the bigger picture.

Part of me admired him for his dreams, even though I knew a Sephan could never hope to make an impact, no matter how charismatic and driven they were. A Sephan was still just a Sephan.

The ease with which he promised to help all of these people bothered me too. Hadn't he promised me in the same way—was I another voter he needed to sway, to get onside to help him fulfil his goal? He might decide that I was of more use to him here; his Helian pet, a show of power and dominance. No one wanted to mess with someone who had a Helian Protector at their side—over here I was the ultimate bodyguard, powers or not. I saw the looks they gave me. The Sephans who stepped forward to challenge his claims took me in, with my olive skin and flaming hair, and thought better of it, stepping back into the crowds. A frown on their faces and fear in their eyes.